Last batch of Schlitz beer to be brewed in Verona, WI

Channel 3000 News ^ | May 16, 2026 | Kyle Jones

[Diana in Wisconsin]

VERONA, Wis. -- It's the end of an era for one of Wisconsin's most iconic beers.

Pabst Brewing Co. is no longer brewing Schlitz, the brew that played a huge role in cementing Milwaukee as America's Beer Capital. The last batch will be brewed, not by Pabst, but by Wisconsin Brewing Company in Verona.

WBC Brewmaster Kirby Nelson said he'll be basing this final batch on operations logs from 1948, when Schlitz was in its prime. The beer was America's top-seller in 1950.

"Since Schlitz is ‘The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous,’ I decided to brew a beer that would be representative of the time Schlitz was on top of the brewing world," Nelson said. "This brew will represent The Golden Age of Schlitz."

First brewed in 1849, Schlitz became America's biggest beer producer in 1902 and held that title for decades. The urban legend goes that Schlitz offered to donate thousands of beer barrels to Chicago in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

A recipe change in the 1970s torpedoed the beer's popularity and Schlitz was eventually sold to Stroh in the 1980s. Pabst bought Stroh, and thus Schlitz, in 1999.

WBC will begin brewing the last batch on May 23. Nelson will hold a kickoff event at the brewery's Verona taproom at 12:30 p.m. Those interested in pre-ordering the beer can do so that same day.

The beer will make its debut at 5 p.m. on June 27, with a celebration at the Verona taproom that will include Schiltz on-tap, 4-packs and live music. Nelson will also give a talk at the event.

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TOPICS: Food; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: beer; kirbynelson; milwaukee; pabst; schlitz; verona; wisconsin

[BenLurkin]

Sally sits on Schlitz all day.

Ten times fast.

[9422WMR]

“ But too many executives feel the need to shake things up. Gotta be an innovator, a visionary”
They think they have to do something different to justify their position. Just look at iphones, software or automobiles. They have something that works but change it for no logical reason.

[organicchemist]

I was wondering if I was the only one who remembered that one.

[dljordan]

I’m sitting here looking at a tin Schlitz sign with a guy operation a ham radio and his carefully coiffed wife bringing in a Schlitz on a tray. It’s called “Here’s a message from Milwaukee”.

[Licensed-To-Carry]

Back in the ‘50s the Baseball Game of the Week with Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese, Schlitz was a big advertiser.

They always showed the Yankees every week.

[libertylover]

I don’t even like beer, but I hate to see it go.

[sonova]

Back in the 1980’s, my friends dad would buy two six pack of warm Schlitz. He kept them under the sink and would drink it all every day.

[kawhill]

“Last batch of Schlitz beer to be brewed in Verona, WI” Bummer, that really is the Schlitz.

[USS Alaska]

I started drinking Yuengling in the 70's {I sold them some computer systems and had to visit the hdq about once a quarter} and once you acquire a taste for Y, there is no other American beer that can compete.

There are some German beers, and English porters and of course Guiness and Murphy's.

I can buy a case of Yuengling and a second case of Yuengling Dark and Tan for $51.50 while a single case of Guiness is $ 47, about twice the price.

On occasion I'll buy a couple of 6 packs, but it will never replace my Yuengling.

[Tom Tetroxide]

Brent Spiner uses his Bob Wheeler voice to order pumpkin pie and Schlitz at the local Denny’s. Starts at 3:34.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxBn80z13kc

[telescope115]

OR, “If it ain’t broke, fix it ‘til it is….”

[telescope115]

Before I retired, one of the supervisors where I worked raved about Yuengling, but lamented the fact that it wasn’t available in our part of the country.

Now it IS available here, and I don’t drink anymore. Figures…

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Beer brands come and go. Pretty much all of my favorite beers from my beer-drinking days are gone now (though I never was a Schlitz drinker). Doesn’t really bother me, since now I might drink a couple of beers over the course of a year. Actually, come to think of it, it’s well over a year since I’ve had any beer at all, though I used to average probably near six a day. I haven’t sworn off alcohol, I can drink whenever I want to, but it’s just that I almost never want to.

[GMThrust]

lol, that’s the first thing that came to my mind! I was getting ready to type it, thanks for saving me some time.

[Bon of Babble]

I cannot repeat here what my husband used to say abut Schlitz beer, this being a family friendly site and all...

[ComputerGuy]

I remember from a previous lifetime that Ying-Yang made a decent brew.

[Texaspeptoman]

Back in the 80s my buddies and I discovered Shlitz dark on draft.

You’d be shocked how good it is when it’s chilled properly.

So much so, we’d have it at keg parties on a regular basis.
———————————————————–
I will second your thought on Schmitz dark. From on tap, it was and still is the best I have ever drank. SO GOOD with German food!!!

[Biblebelter]

My memory was it was Falstaff.

Never forget Dizzy making fun of hitters.

Dizzy was no slouch as hitter himself.

He’d say of .210 hitter, Pardner, that fella isn’t even hitting his weight.

I watch a lot of baseball and the Orioles have a statue regularly playing third who weighs 240 and I remember his batting average coming across the screen during a Yankee game last week and it was .157.

[PROCON]

"Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous!"

1960's ad.

[AZJeep]

> A recipe change in the 1970s torpedoed the beer’s popularity… <
______

Funny, the old, famous recipe was lost somewhere, they never found it.
Eventually, Pabst recreated (guessed) old Schlitz recipe from old men memories and old production logs.
Close, but not exact.